Before we continue, let's get a couple of things straight: this is the DROID Turbo (model number XT1250), a souped-up version of the Moto X 2014 that's exclusive to Verizon in the United States. It's ostensibly a sequel to the DROID Maxx from 2013, and like almost all Verizon-branded devices, it has a locked bootloader. No custom ROMs for the poor DROID Turbo. And this is the Moto Maxx (model number XT1225), the exact same phone released without the Verizon branding or a locked bootloader, and currently sold only in Latin America.

Cyanogen Inc. has come off as feisty ever since it was founded, but in the last few months CEO Kirt McMaster has gotten downright aggressive. We've known for a while the company wants to make Android more independent of Google, but McMaster told Forbes recently that Cyanogen Inc. "is putting a bullet through Google’s head." What's that all about? As a hint of its bullet/head strategy, McMaster announced that Cyanogen will partner with Blu to release a phone later this year without any Google services.

Owners of the OnePlus One tend to be among the most dedicated (read: rabid) Android fans out there - they have to be, since it still takes no small amount of legwork to actually buy the phone. That being the case, those owners have waited a long time for the final, official update to Android 5.0. They won't have to wait much longer: an official OnePlus representative told members of the company forum that the updates will begin on March 27th, just a little over a week from now.

Motorola's G series became a hit almost instantly thanks to solid build quality, clean software, and a fantastic bang-to-buck ratio. The second-gen version is no exception, and its upgraded hardware has also caught the eye of the enthusiast and aftermarket community. Though the standard model of the Moto G 2014 already has Android 5.0 (at least in some places), owners now have the option of installing the CyanogenMod custom ROM.

In its bid to walk further and further away from Google in its own Android OS, Cyanogen announced a recent partnership with Boxer, the third-party email app. As of Cyanogen OS 12, which will be available in the coming weeks as an update to the OnePlus One and YU Yureka (and will launch on future devices), Boxer will come installed out of the box as the default email client.

The collaboration with Boxer comes hot on the heels of Cyanogen's rebrand and Qualcomm partnership, and will provide users with all of the benefits of Boxer's premium service, including multiple accounts (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo!

Even while the more corporate side of CyanogenMod makes new deals with smartphone makers and OEMs, the original "CM Team" continues to expand the ROM's lineup of officially-supported phones and tablets. Today the original Moto E (from 2014) and the Oppo N3 both get their first nightly software builds, and yes, both of them are CyanogenMod 12 (based on Android 5.0 Lollipop AOSP code). You can download and flash them now.